Heart & Circulation
Spinach
A mild, iron-rich leafy green that packs in folate, vitamin K, and eye-protective lutein.
Vision
Bone Health
Energy
Serving
1 cup raw (30g)
Calories Per Serving
7
Key nutrients
Vitamin K, folate, iron, lutein
Nutrient density
739
Why it’s worth eating
Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse, brimming with vitamins K, A, and folate. It’s rich in iron and antioxidants, supporting bone health and reducing oxidative stress. Add spinach to smoothies, salads, or sautés for an easy nutrition boost.
What you may notice
Markers worth tracking
How to eat it
Light cooking actually increases how much iron and calcium your body can absorb, since heat breaks down the oxalates that bind them.
Pairs well with
Vitamin C foods, significantly improves absorption of spinach’s non-heme iron Healthy fats, helps absorb spinach’s fat-soluble vitamin K and lutein
Storage
Refrigerate in a breathable bag; use within 5 days, as leaves wilt and lose vitamin C quickly.
The numbers, per
121%
Vitamin K
16%
Vitamin A
9%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
5%
Iron
6%
Magnesium
4%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
0.7g
USDA-verified (FoodData Central)
Evidence
B
Nutrient-dense and high in dietary nitrate, but the oxalate load is the practically important qualifier.
Study dose vs. serving
Boiling reduced soluble oxalate 30-87%, more than steaming (5-53%), via leaching into discarded water.
Chai W, Liebman M. J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(8):3027-3030. DOI 10.1021/jf048128d.
Use caution if
You’re prone to kidney stones, spinach is one of the highest-oxalate vegetables You take blood thinners, very high vitamin K content; keep intake consistent
Details
Type
Superfood
Season
Spring and autumn (cool season)
Forms
Fresh, frozen, canned, baby leaf
Price
Budget
Bioactive
Lutein and dietary nitrate; oxalate is the characterising anti-nutrient
Heat stable
Partial - boiling cuts oxalate but also leaches folate and vitamin C
Watch
HIGH OXALATE (about 750-1000 mg/100 g raw, cultivar-dependent). Relevant for recurrent calcium-oxalate stone formers. Boiling helps but does not make spinach low-oxalate. Also high vitamin K (warfarin consistency).
Reliability
Research Reliability